


Sign of the Times

by NeyMessi_FCB (Sherlockophobia)



Category: The Originals (TV)
Genre: Angst, BDSM, Choking, Cigarettes, Double Penetration, F/M, Foster Care, Homelessness, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Past Sexual Abuse, Sibling Incest, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:49:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27426736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sherlockophobia/pseuds/NeyMessi_FCB
Summary: New York was unforgiving to most, but especially to a woman left to fend for herself on the streets. You were stuck there for eight years after aging out of foster care. Winters were brutal, yet this year was particularly nasty. Some might say climate change, some might say that's just how the world works. You didn't honestly care. Nor were you the type that needed rescuing. Independent, feisty and fierce, how did you end up living in New Orleans in just six short months? There were whispers, something about magical beings which you simply brushed off as nonsense. Magic only existed in the movies, right? Same with supernatural creatures. So why did two vampires,originalvampires at that, become so enamoured with you and did you care that you were having sex with two brothers at the same time? You had no inkling about what your life would be or what you would find out about your past. You know what they say about the bustling Louisiana city. If you love New Orleans, she’ll love you back.
Relationships: Elijah Mikaelson/Klaus Mikaelson, Elijah Mikaelson/Klaus Mikaelson/You
Kudos: 4





	Sign of the Times

**Author's Note:**

> So bear with me. Angst? Fuck yeah. Incest? Definitely. Does this bother you? Sorry, there are other fics out there that might cater to your needs better. Sex? Oh yes.  
> Since this is a reader insert, let me say that you have secrets, some that even you don't know. You aren't exactly human, but what are you? Read more to find out! Also because this is an Originals fic, expect that characters from the Originals will pop up. I'm not going to tag them, sorry!
> 
> Really, there might be a lot of triggering content in this story. I put up a few most common ones, but if there are any I didn't include, they will always be put in the top author's notes. The child abuse is CSA but there weren't any tags for past CSA. I'll try to update this every 1-2 weeks. Now that I have a goal, I'll stick with it! ADHD is balls.
> 
> Without further ado, here is Sign of the Times! Yeah..based off the Harry Styles song. Creative, right?
> 
> Oh, also, is there a way to indent paragraphs on Ao3? Someone be my lifesaver!! I'll buy you a coffee!

It was undeniable, the amount of cold that pierced your body as you trudged through the snow, almost half a foot deep by now. You were determined to make it to the McDonalds ahead, staring at the deep golden glow of the infamous arch. It illuminated everything around it even at night, giving the snow and buildings around it a yellow hue. You could hear the electricity crackling from the sign as you approached the building. Of course, people were inside dining, as usual, living their lives without a care in the world for anyone other than themselves. It was something you envied, but there wasn’t enough energy to care too much. No, someone had gifted you a five-dollar bill and McDonald's was the cheapest and easiest choice for a meal. The door creaked open as you pulled on the ice-cold metal handle, which made you let go almost as soon as you had grabbed it. Luckily, you made it inside and took a moment to rub your eyes as they adjusted to artificial lighting. You wished you had proper shelter for the night, but food and a hot beverage would have to do. 

It was typical, the stares and wrinkled noses you got from the people around you. If only you could scream at them that you had no place to sahower and you would if you could. It wasn’t your fault you were in this predicament and you would be damned if these people would judge you. You had every right to be there as them, especially since you were there to order food. Maybe that was civilized enough for them to leave you be. Approaching the counter, you gripped the bill in your hand as you looked over the screen to see the prices of the food. You could order a dollar burger and a hot chocolate which wasn’t much, but food is food. The order was placed and you figured it would be a good idea to try to wash up in the bathroom as much as you could. The warm water was a welcomed reprieve from the cold you were dealing with outside. Washing your hands, arms, and face with soap and water sent your heart aflutter and you wished you could stay here for the rest of the night. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option but you would stay as long as you could. 

When your food arrived, you picked a spot as far away from people as you could get. It wasn’t enough, yet you didn’t feel like you could complain since you at least got something in your stomach. You glanced up at the television when you heard the news announce “breaking news”, only to find that a blizzard was coming through New York and to find shelter. Fuck. All the shelters you’ve tried you were either kicked out from for stupid reasons, you couldn’t afford, they were too far away, or full. Back to the park. 

It had been thirty minutes before staff asked you to leave for loitering and you decided to head to the park a block or two away. You pulled your jacket tighter around your body as the snow came down harder. Fuck New York. Trudging along, you swore you saw some movement nearby but when you looked, no one was there. You shrugged, not too concerned because you had nothing that could be stolen unless someone wanted your jacket or boots. When it happened again, you admittedly, picked up the pace. Stay calm, right? Just stay calm. You rounded a corner and jogged into the park, slowing down only because people were around. Safety in numbers. People were lingering, enjoying a slow late night walk before the blizzard hit. You felt a twinge of jealousy at their clothing, wrapped up to the teeth in warmth with the knowledge they will go home to their fireplace or bed with multiple blankets. It made your lip curl and you walked to the other end of the park to fetch your sheet from your backpack that was hidden in some bushes. It wasn’t much, but it provided at least some form of warmth and protection from the elements. One day you’d go somewhere where it didn’t snow. Curling up on a bench, you fell asleep thinking about what states would be comfortable to live in. 

There were noises around you that sounded like fighting but you were too cold to open your eyes. You weren’t even sure you could move if you needed, every joint in your body felt frozen solid. The sheet was pulled over your head to keep off the snow, although you weren’t sure how much snow had fallen. Thoughts were fleeting and incoherent at this point. Your breathing had slowed down drastically to only a few breaths per minute, but there was nothing you could do about it. There it was again, the sound of fighting. Someone screamed. You hoped they were ok. The noises around you died off and you were content to go back to sleep. 

The next time you woke, there were voices and you were no longer outside. Barely conscious, you took a moment to open your eyes, yet closed them again because even that took too much energy. You were curled up in what seemed like a bed with several thick blankets covering your body. You were struggling to make out what the people were saying. 

“You can’t just take in every stray you find, Elijah.” Mocked voice number one with some sort of accent. 

“Humans aren’t strays, Niklaus. She needed our help. She was practically dead by the time I found her.” A more calculated voice, also with an accent. 

You felt a presence in front of you and you so desperately wanted to see who it was. Was it this Elijah or Niklaus person? Why did they have accents? Where were you? Something warm met your lips and you were commanded by the person to drink. You opened your mouth to accept whatever it was and nearly threw up at the taste of blood. _What the fuck?_ It took a few moments, but you were able to open your eyes and felt your body come back to life. Looking around, you saw the room was empty and you had to wonder if it was some weird dream. Gathering your surroundings, you noticed you were in a hotel room, but you had no idea where. You rubbed your face with both of your hands and sat up, holding the blankets close to your body. You took note of a pair of nice-looking clothes on the dresser across the room. This had to be a dream. You pinched your arm and frowned when you felt a slight pain that followed. So, not a dream? 

Cautiously, in case the two people from earlier were still somewhere in the room, you walked around to make sure you were alone. No one was in sight. You took the opportunity to get undressed, leaving your clothes in a small pile next to the bed and your boots on top. You looked yourself over in the full body mirror in the corner of the room, sighing when you noticed your ribs looking prominent. You were dirty, covered in scrapes and bruises from living on the streets for so long, and your other bones stuck out as well. You ran your fingers across your collarbone and hip bones, shivering at the touch. Turning around, you were able to count vertebrae sticking out from under your skin. 

Feeling a tad queasy from the sight, you opted to head into the bathroom for a shower. The tile felt cold underneath your feet which made you quickly hop into the shower. You weren’t one for the chill. Taking note of the soap and shampoo, you turned the water on and let it run from the faucet for a bit until it got warm enough. The shampoo bottle was small, but it was enough to get your hair clean if only for the night. You didn’t know where you would end up after this, nor did you know how you ended up in a hotel when you were sleeping on a bench in a park. The conditioner was next followed by the soap. You had to look down to see the grime washed away, water turning brown as the dirt from your skin mixed with the water on the eggshell white shower floor. You couldn’t recall the last time you were clean like this; it had to have been before you ended up on the streets. Jesus, years ago? You aged out of the foster care system when you turned eighteen and you were twenty-six now. Seven years alone on the streets of New York took a number on you and you felt yourself needing to sit down. Luckily there was a small bar in the shower for you to hold onto as you lowered yourself to the floor. Bending over to allow the hot water to cascade over the back of your head and neck, you let out a few audible sobs. It was best to cry alone, where no one bothered you with their fake sympathy because really, no one did care. You couldn’t tell if the emotions were from how fucked up life was, your relief at being where you were now, or both. You went with both for now. 

After the water ran cold, you pulled yourself up and turned off the shower, looking around for a towel. White plush looking towels hung from the rack nearby, so you grabbed one and dried yourself off, taking extra care to make sure your hair didn’t drip. The other towel was tossed to the floor to soak up any condensation or puddles of water that followed your footsteps. Grateful that it was warm in the hotel room, you let yourself enjoy the moment before letting out a heavy sigh. You frowned at the realization that you didn’t have a way to tame your hair. Combs and brushes were hard to come by for some reason for you. It was a good way to barter for a cigarette or a small can of food when you could. A moment of panic-filled you as you remembered your backpack, holding your entire life in one bag. Was it here? Was it left in the bush? How far away from the park were you? Where was this hotel? Fuck, you had so many questions and no one to answer them for you. After a deep breath or two, you remembered there was a giant window in the room. Maybe you could spot the park from where you were. Maybe you were close. 

You stepped out into the hotel room, feeling some sort of presence in the room with you. The panic felt like someone seized your chest and compressed your lungs as you wondered who was in your room. Eyes adjusting to the dim light emanating from a single lamp, you saw a figure sitting at the edge of the bed. It was a man, dressed in a tight black long sleeve shirt with a low cut front, black jeans that looked almost like it could cut off circulation, and black boots that resembled pirate boots - at least to you. The man himself was somewhat pale with a hair color you couldn’t quite make out. He had an attractive face and full lips and he was observing you as you stood near the bathroom door. You analyzed the situation, looking back at the door that led into the hallway, thinking about if you could make it there before whoever this person was got to you. He felt dangerous, yet not as if he was going to harm you. Anxious nonetheless, you watched as he smirked and jumped up, walking over to where you stood. You stiffened, your eyes looking him up and down to try to see how powerful this person was. You could see the muscle under his shirt, his chest and arms appearing strong. Before you could say anything, he was speaking and you knew you had to listen. 

“My brother has taken an interest in you. I do not know why, but you are a waste of our time.” the words bit into you like a dog nipping at your heels. “He has asked me to leave you a clean change of clothing, so I have. You will find it on the dresser. I assume you’ll be wondering where you will stay after this. There’s a paper on top with the address of a shelter. Go there and give them your name. You should be able to stay there as long as you need, courtesy of my annoying sibling.”

“Who are you?” You whispered, feeling small in the presence of this strange person. 

The man leaned close to your face and grabbed your chin, looking deep into your eyes. You saw his pupils change size as he spoke, “Don’t ask questions. Do as you are told and forget me. You are here out of the kindness of our hearts. Do not forget that.” 

His voice rang out as a command and he was gone before you could think. What just happened? You shook your head to clear it and thought about this mystery man. He wanted you to forget him, yet he stood there and nearly threatened you. Wrinkling your forehead in confusion, you walked over to the clothes laid out for you. You had heard his voice before. The men from earlier. The other voice called this one Niklaus? Was that his name? A sigh left your mouth as you pondered the clothes and slipped them on. They felt comfortable and looked cute so you took the time to admire yourself in that mirror. Dark blue panties with lace at the top, tight grey jeans that could give this Niklaus person a run for his money, a bra that matched your skin tone, and a cute loose-fitting maroon colored blouse. Next to it were black flats. Whoever picked out these clothes had a weird sense of style as the colors didn’t fit too well. Shrugging, you read the address off the paper and committed it to memory before folding it up and putting it in your pocket. 

You undressed, but opted to keep the panties on for a sense of comfort. You would leave for the shelter in the morning as you were unsure how long you had to stay here. A low growl in your stomach indicates hunger and reminded you that all you had to eat today was a McDonald's hamburger. You spotted a mini-fridge and pulled open the door, eyes widening at the selection of snacks and beverages. You immediately grabbed some packages of food and tore them open, desperate to ease the hunger pangs that you had all but gotten used to. Slowing down, you reminded yourself that if you are too quickly you would throw up. Oh god, the food tasted amazing and you had to tear up as the flavors danced across your tongue. They had tiny bottles of champagne and wine, so you opted to drink a few. Well, whoever rented this room would have a hefty bill to pay for all of this but you didn’t care. You were allowed to be selfish sometimes. After filling yourself up on snacks and alcohol, you retired to the bed, ready to sleep. It was weird at first to lay on something so comfortable and with blankets that actually kept you warm. Tears welled up in your eyes again and you swore you weren’t this emotional, but it was all so good. As much as you wanted to stay awake, sleep won the battle and you were out within just a few more moments. You had a long day ahead of you.


End file.
